Toy block



F. U. SEEGER.

TOY BLOCK.

\APPLICATION FILED APR. 19. l9l9.

1,314,541. Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

INVENTOR AT ORA/EV UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK U. SEEG-ER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 SAMUEL GABRIELSONS &

' COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TOY BLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK U. SEEGER, a citizen of the United States,and resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in To Blocks, ofwhich the following is a speci cation.

This invention relates to toy blocks, such as alphabet or pictureblocks, for the instruction and amusement of children.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a block ofthis character, constructed of cardboard or similar material, in asimple and inexpensive manner, and which will be of great durability.

Theinvention more particularly compre hends'a block constructed of threeprimary elements consisting of a strip of bendable material to producethe four sides of the block and two end pieces insertible between thebody walls having cooperating means to provide a very secure and rigidconnection between the several parts.

It is a further general object of my invention to provide anon-collapsible block which will be light in weight and will not belikely to injure one struck thereby, even though the block may be thrownwith considerable force.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in theimproved con struction, combination and relatlve arrangement of theseveral parts, as will be hereafter more fully described, subsequentlyclaimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which similarreference characters designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views, and wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of the body blank ofmy improved block;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the block with certain parts broken awayand others omitted;

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the end walls;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the block, one wall thereof beingbroken away, and v Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary erspective Viewillustrating the manner 0 assembling and connecting the body and endwalls.

Referring in detail to the drawing, designates a strip of cardboard orother suitable material having the necessary structural rigidity, butcapable of being bent. This materral upon one side is slightly creasedat equidistantly spaced points as shown at 6, and the sections of thematerial are bent inwardly toward the creases to provide a substantiallyrectangular bod structure having the walls designated 6. y slightlycreasing the strip 5, instead'of deeply scoring the same and bending thesections inwardly, the material at the outer side of the body and at thejuncture of the wall 6 is not broken, but

resents a smooth continuous corner surface.

hus, I obtain a maximum of stren h in the block structure, so that it iscapa le of resisting severe strains.

Each of the body walls 6 at its opposite ends is centrally recessed ormortised, as indicated at 7 the depth of the mortises being equivalentto the thickness of the material. Preferably, a single mortise is formedin each end edge centrally of the block wall.

The end walls 8 are each stamped or cut from a cardboard sheet, so as tofit tightly within the end of the block body, and with the marginaledges of said end wall frictionally contacting with the inner faces ofthe respective body walls. The end wall is provided upon each of itsedges at the center thereof with a ton e or tenon 9 adapted to fittightly within t e mortises 7 in the body walls of the block. Thesetenons are also of a depth equivalent to the thickness of the material.Thus, it will be apparent that the outer surfaces and edges of the endwalls will be flush with the surfaces and edges of the body walls. Ifdesired, a suitable adhesive may be applied to the edges of the mortises7 and the tenons 9, though this is not at all necessary, as the tightfrictional en agement of the end walls and the tenons t ereon with thebody walls of the block will securely retain the several walls inassembled relation.

After the parts of the box structure have been thus assembled, strips ofpaper, linen or other suitable material 10 are pasted or adhesivelysecured alon the corners of the block walls and upon t e contiguousangular meeting faces of said walls. Finally, a lithographed paper sheetis adhesively secured upon the body walls of the block and also upon theend walls thereof, said sheet having delineated thereon letters of thealphabet, animals, or other objects, which will be instructive andamusing to children. This lithographed sheet indicated in the drawing at11 extends over and completely covers all surfaces of the block wall andlikewise thereinforcing corner strips 10.

From the foregoin description considered in connection wlt-h theaccompanying drawing, the construction and manner of assembling theseveral parts of my improved block will be clearly and fully understood.The block may, of course, be made in many different sizes, and while Ihave above referred to a simple rectangular block structure, it ismanifest that the several features of my invention can also beadvantageously employed in the manu facture of toy blocks of variousother forms. I have found, in practice, that a block constructed asherein described is exceedingly durable and will withstand a greatamount of rough handling. At the same time the block can be manufacturedat nominal cost, and being very light in weight will not damage or marfurniture or injure persons -with whom it may come in contact, thoughthrown with considerable force.

I have herein illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of theinvention, but as the improved block may likewise be exemplified in manyother analogous constructions, it is to be understood that I reserve theprivilege of adopting all such legitimate changes in the form,construct-ion or arrangement of the various parts as may be fairlyembodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim: 7

1. A non-collapsible block comprising a body strip of material adaptedto be bent to form the side walls of the block structure. and endmembers of similar material adapted to be fitted between the body wallsat the opposite ends thereof, said end members and the body walls havingcooperative means centrally formed on their proximate edges to rigidlyretain the parts in assembled relation.

2. A non-collapsible block comprising a body consisting of a cardboardstrip ada ted to be bent at spaced points to form t e side walls of theblock, each of said walls having mortises centrally formed in its endedges, and end Walls adapted to be fitted between the ends of saidsidewalls and each having tenons formed on its edges for engagement inthe mortises in the respective side walls,- the length of said tenonsand the depth of the mortises corresponding to mortises centrally formedin its end edges,

and end walls adapted to be fitted between the ends of s'aid'side walls,and each having a single tenon centrally formed on each of its edges forengagement in the mortises in the respective side walls, the length ofsaid tenons and the depth of the mortises corresponding to the thicknessof the block walls.

V 4. A non-collapsible block comprising a body consisting of a cardboardstrip creased at spaced points to provide portions bendable inwardlyupon the creased side of the strip toward each other to form the sidewalls of the 'block, each of said walls having'mortises centrally formedin its end edges, end walls adapted to be fitted between the ends ofsaid side walls, and each having a single tenon centrally formed on eachof its edges for engagement in the mortises in the respective sidewalls, the length of said tenons and the depth of the mortisescorresponding to the thickness of the block Walls, and reinforcingstrips adhesively secured over the meeting edges of the side walls andend walls and along the juncture of the side walls with each other.

5. A non-collapsible block comprising a body consisting of a cardboardstrip creased at spaced points to provide portions bend able inwardlyupon the creased side of the strip toward each other to form the sidewalls of the block, each of said walls having mortises centrally formedin its end edges, end Walls adapted to be fitted between the ends ofsaid side walls, and each having a single tenon centrally formed on eachof its edges for engagement 'in'the mortises in the respective sidewalls, the length of said tenons and the depth of the mortisescorresponding to the thickness of the block walls, reinforclng stripsadhesively secured over the meeting edges of the side walls and endwalls and along the juncture of the side walls with each other, and alithographed paper sheet adhesively secured upon the block walls andover said reinforcing strips.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signedmy name thereto.

FREDERICK U. SEE-GER.

